WINNEMUCCA - Better late than never, as the saying goes.
Officials at Union Township Justice Court received some unexpected mail April 13 that threw them for a bit of a loop.
The letter contained an $80 payment for the balance due on an outstanding fine - from 1987.
The sender scribbled, "Sorry for delay. Life has been very difficult. Please let me know if more is due."
Justice court employees had a hard time tracking down the original 25-year-old fine. They made a couple of trips to the archives in the basement of the Humboldt County Courthouse to look through records. They even searched the electronic records of two old computer systems. No luck.
Justice of the Peace Gene Wambolt said they don't know if the fine was for speeding or what it was. He was as surprised as employees to receive the payment.
"How long has this person been thinking about this?" Wambolt said. "I think it's pretty cool."
Usually, a bench warrant is eventually issued if someone doesn't pay off a fine. But if a warrant was issued for nonpayment in this case, it has long since expired. The person who sent the payment lives in California.
Included with the payment was the original letter dated April 15, 1987, from justice court demanding the balance of the fine be paid. The letter noted that Oren L. McDonald was the justice of the peace at the time.
Wambolt said it may take a little while to dig up the original fine, but he's confident they will eventually track down the paperwork.
"We'll figure it out."
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